


The King's Street Rat

by gaarasgurl666



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-05
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-01-22 00:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1569638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaarasgurl666/pseuds/gaarasgurl666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You had always thought that there was nothing to love about a street rat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Luna, but I've decided to rewrite it a bit so this version will be a little different (and hopefully better) than the one one Luna presently!

The life of a street rat was the one thing that your parents had never wished on you. 

Walking through the streets with your tattered dress that only came up to your knees, your eyes carefully scanned the crowd, looking for guards before they land on a fruit stand. You drift through the bazaar, trying to not draw attention to yourself as your stomach growls, throwing any sort of morals you had towards stealing out the window. Being so poor that you could hardly afford food to feed yourself and the young ones that you took care of had showed you that when you go through hell, your moral standards change just so you can survive another day. 

Seeing a merchant who was busy speaking to a young couple, thus leaving the one side of his stand open to anyone, you crouch down and make your move. Your hands work quickly, gathering a few pieces of succulent fruit with a quick movement. You're about to leave when a tall figure blocks your path, and you glance up to meet amused golden eyes. You panic, dropping the fruit to the ground, backing away nervously. Unfortunately, you end up backing straight into the merchant who was now giving you the evil eye, knowing that you had stolen fruit from his stand before. 

"Were you stealing fruit again, you little rat?!" He roughly grabs a hold of your arm, yanking you so that you were face him properly. "This is the third time this week. Guards!" 

You shake your head, fear striking your heart as you realize that the kids waiting back at your home wouldn't be able to eat without you around, but you couldn't see a clear way out of this situation. Any attempts at pulling out of the man's strong grip are useless, as you're weakened from going the day without a single bite of food. 

"Actually, she was just gathering them for me." The golden-eyed man stepped forward, placing a hand on your shoulder; the merchant released your arm from his grip, both of you sharing looks of confusion as you looked up at the mysterious man. You observe his clothes briefly before looking away in embarrassment; he was a man of much higher status than you, and you know what would happen if you got staring at him too long. "I'll pay off any debt she owes from her last few times as well." 

As the man settles the amount that must be paid with the merchant, you stand off to the side as your mind tries to wrap around what had just happened. People didn't just do things for another without any expectations, so what would this man want from you? What would he want you to do with him?! Would you have to sleep with others for his pleasure? Or perhaps he was a slave capturer who was looking to trap you and sell you to a disgusting slave-owner?! You were nearly shaking in fear of the unknown, but your body seemed cemented to the spot, not allowing you to leave; by the time he's approached, your fate is sealed. 

"You shouldn't steal." He scolds you, but his tone is light-hearted and his touching comforting as he leads you away from the bazaar. You're in shock that he'd want to be seen with someone like you in the first place, since most men refused to even look at a female who looked like she hadn't had a decent shower in weeks. You become self-conscious of everything about you; things you normally didn't bother caring about since you generally had more things to worry about aside from looks. 

"I shouldn't be starving on the street, either, so I guess once that stops happening, I'll stop stealing."

He simply chuckles. 

"Who are you anyway?" Your suspicious tone must have amused him, because he began to laugh again. 

"Call me Sin." He stops near the edge of town. "I agree that you shouldn't have to starve to death on the streets..." He reaches into his pocket, grabbing your hand and placing a few gold coins in it before handing you the fruit that you had been previously trying to steal. "This should have you taken care of for the next few nights."

You wanted to reject his money and the fruit, if not to just hold onto the torn pieces of pride that you still held onto. You didn't want to admit that you needed his charity, but you did, and this wasn't the worst blow your pride would suffer anyway, so you supposed you could get over it soon enough. There were other children waiting for you to feed them, after all, it'd be selfish to let your pride get in the way of their well-being. 

"Thank you, Sin." You bowed your head before swiftly turning to leave. You ran until you were out of his sight, glancing back briefly to be sure that you had completely disappeared from his view before slowing as the fatigue finally hit you. You could easily grow tired even if you hadn't been awake for long, finding that sleep helped to fight off the hunger pains longer; watching the sun set now, your only wish was to get a goodnights sleep, even if it only happened this once. 

You enter the rundown house along the line of the forest, being greeted by various hungry mouths as they asked you what you had brought back for them to eat today. You handed each of them their own piece of fruit, smiling. 

"You guys can eat the whole fruit, alright? No saving tonight. I have enough for the next few days, so don't worry." They're overjoyed at getting a bigger meal than normal, a whole piece of fruit appearing as a feast to them. After hiding the gold away and taking half a piece of fruit for yourself, merely out of habit, you lean against the window to watch the sun set, your mind filled with questions. 

That man had been the only thing on your mind for awhile, and you were curious about his whereabouts now. Who was he? What were his intentions? Surely he couldn't have just been some good Samaritan that had just happened along on one of the worst days you'd ever been having? You didn't feel much like questioning it anymore, the events of the day weighing heavily on your energy levels. You crawled into bed, feeling the rest of the children slowly fall asleep around you before you capable of drifting off. 

That night you had dreams of becoming a Queen.


	2. Sickness

After that night, you had fallen sick. 

You would occasionally gain consciousness during the long weeks that you were sick, but your mind was still unable to fully focus and wake up as the rest of your body fought hard. You caught bits and pieces of conversations, a voice sounding much like Sin's drifting into your ears, and sometimes the scolding of an unfamiliar voice would appear alongside his. 

You couldn't piece a word of it together, so you slept. 

It was one sunny morning that you awoke feeling refreshed and more alive than you had in days, stretching your body as you thought about what you would get the kids to eat for the day. It takes a quick glance around the room for you to realize that you aren't in your home, but in a room that looks far too extravagant for you to ever be capable of paying for it. What kind of person could have paid for such a high-end room like this?

"Ah, it's good to see you're awake!" You jumped, hands clenching around the sheets of the bed as you turned to face the source of your surprise. 

"Sin!" You exclaim, tilting your head to the side. "Y-You're here? It really was your voice that I heard..."

"You expected me to leave you alone with that condition that you'd been in?"

You blushed and looked down at your hands to avoid his eyes; you weren't used to being taken care of. Those times had been so far in the past that you weren't even positive they had happened sometimes, the memories growing fuzzy as you had to worry more about the future than the past. You bow your head to him. 

"I thank you for your kindness. Please, allow me to return to my children and my... home." 

"I'm sorry, but I can't allow that."

"E-Eh?"

"Your illness isn't something that can remain unmonitored; the next time it happens, you have a high chance of dying if you don't achieve immediate medical attention." It takes a few minutes for his words to sink in your brain, but it raised many other questions that you thought would never be answered. "Therefore, I'll be taking you under my wing."

"How can a simple merchant afford these sorts of things?" You crossed your arms. "I have no money to pay for a single thing; that's why I steal. I can't afford anything that you give me, and there's no way for me to ever pay you back. So, why...?"

"I'm not a simple merchant..." Sin stands tall and proud, his chest puffed out as he places his hands on his hips. "I am King Sinbad, King of Sindria." You stare at him with wide eyes for a few seconds, the gears in your mind halting to a stop. He was a King? A King had taken care of you? A King had paid for your food for a day?

"K-King..."

And you promptly pass out. 

It had taken at least an hour of coaxing and explanations to bring you back, and even then you were still feeling more embarrassed and nervous than normal. The King had caught you stealing fruit, he had seen your ugly little shack that you had called your home, and now he was seeing you in such a pathetic position. This was not the first impression that you had wanted to make upon first meeting a handsome King such as Sinbad. 

"But if I stay with you my Lord, what about my children? Asad, Aaliyah, and Ashour can't go back to living on the streets on their own, they hardly survived the first time around!"

"Your heart is kind."Sinbad shoots you a warm smile, placing a hand over yours. You flinch at his touch, but relax as his hand remains in place; he was trying to be comforting, and he meant you no harm. "I've found suitable homes for them back in Sindria where they'll be taken care of, and given special teachers to help them learn how to read and write. They'll remain together, and I'm sure when they have the chance, they'll come to visit you."

"I-I..." This was everything you had ever dreamed of happening for them that it was difficult to soak it all in at once. "How will I repay you for any of this?"

"Well, my advisor and I have been discussing that." Sinbad rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "He wasn't very happy when I proposed that you come to Sindria with us, but we came to an agreement. You'll become one of the maids that attends to the palace, and helps the cooks. You'll have your own room, of course, and access to most areas. You'll be greatly taken care of, if you accept."

"If?"

"I can't force you to accept my offer." He removes his hand from yours, leaving your bedside to stare out of the open window on your right. "I would very much enjoy if you came to live with me, however. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you when I'm not around."

"I... I suppose I'll have to accept. I do have a debt to be repaid, my Lord." You bow your head. "I accept your offer." 

"Wonderful!" The bright smile he gave you warmed your heart to the point you felt as though you were blushing, and turned away from him in embarrassment. "We'll be setting sail for Sindria in but a few days, after we're told your condition is stabilized. Rest up, I'll be back tomorrow!" 

He then left you alone with your thoughts for the evening.


	3. Charity

To be in this much pain, you weren't sure you deserved it. 

The uncomfortable feeling of the makeshift bed you're lying in causes you to toss and turn all night, your joints growing more sore as the sun rose. The children gathered around you on the third day, innocent eyes looking at you and silently questioning what could be wrong with you. They still had food for the day, due to the gold you'd brought home, and there was clean water close by that they would give to you every few hours to make sure you'd stay hydrated. They were more worried about their caregivers well-being. 

"What's wrong with her?" 

"I don't know..."

"We have to go find help." 

"How are we supposed to do that, stupid? Guards don't ever wanna talk to us!"

"I dunno, let's just go try!" 

"Wait." You managed to grab the back of Aaliyah's dress, causing the other two to stop as well. "Don't steal anything while you're out, if you see guards, run. Don't be a hero."

"Yes'm!" She nods her head, leading the other two out, and leaving you alone with your thoughts. 

You would surely die if this fever kept up...

It felt like it had been days and days of slow torture; your body was throbbing from the intense pain, while your mind was worrying about the children and why they hadn't come home yet. You attempt to sit up, determined to make your legs move for you so that you could find them so that they're safe. Your whole body is shaking, wiping the sweat from your forehead. The sun had just begun to set over the horizon, disappearing behind the trees of the forest and leaving an orange glow in the house. 

"We found someone!" The youngest of the children ran inside, her bright smile lighting up the room in an instant. "Mama, we found someone who wants to help you!" 

"It's good to see you again," The voice was recognizable even when you didn't have your wits about you. With wide eyes your gaze is brought over to the man, Sin, who was standing in the doorway looking at you with an amused smile. "It seems you need my help again!"

Before you can make a smart remark, you fall back onto the bed, losing all feeling in the upper part of your body after putting such a big strain on it. Whimpering from the intense pain that shoots through your system, you turn your head away from him in shame, your embarrassment clearly played out for him to see. That didn't seem to be the part he was worried about, however, as he quickly made his way to your side with a look of concentration engraved on his face. 

"I can't take care of you here..." He stated, glancing around the bare room. "You'll have to come with me."

"Just... make sure they're safe, please..." Your eyes slide shut, trying to regulate your breathing but finding it hard to do. Sin nods in response, easily lifting your body in his arms as he signaled the children to follow after him. They grabbed a hold of Sin's robes, worriedly following after him as they wondered if you'd be alright. 

After this, everything would change.


	4. Change

It was only your first week working and you already felt out of place.

You were given lessons during the earlier hours of the morning, teaching you to write and also teaching you history, while the rest of the day you would help the maids with cleaning the room and help the cooks with chopping and preparing meals. You were already held in high-esteem due to Sinbad's influence, and your natural hard working nature meshed well with your new job. But all of these details didn't prevent you from feeling out of place, and it didn't stop the thoughts of self-doubt that had become commonplace after your move into the palace. 

One night, you find yourself wandering the halls, unable to fall asleep without the feeling of safety you had grown used to. King Sinbad had kept you company through the weeks of your stay in the healers area; you had found yourself growing comfortable in his presence, despite his rank being at the top, and yours at the bottom. 

You found yourself wandering into the Purple Leo Tower area of the palace, where his personal quarters were located. This area had strict access, and another perk of befriending the King was that you had complete access to it as you pleased. You were suspicious at first of why he had given someone he hardly knew permission to view his private quarters, but you had learned in the end via questioning that discovering Sinbad's motives wasn't going to be an easy task. 

It was much simpler to accept the beautiful reality you'd been given. 

You hesitantly knock on the door to the room that you knew was the King's, gulping nervously as you heard him confirm that you may enter. You slowly open the door, wondering if it was too late to run away now; his face lights up as soon as he sees you, having not gotten to talk to you for days. Sinbad was also pleased to see that you hadn't brought him any work, and willfully pushes away the papers in front of him to stand up and greet you. 

"Is something wrong?" He asked. "I don't normally see you around here!" 

"Ah, I just... I'm having a lot of difficulty getting a good night's sleep..." You avoid eye contact with him. "I've been living in the same house for years, you see. I'm not used to change, and I don't like it very much."

"But change is good, isn't it?"

"Yes, I agree it is but I... I need time to adjust, but with this occupation I have now, n-not that I don't appreciate it, but I need my sleep and it's... It's just not working out, my King. I don't want to disappoint you but I don't feel as though I'm suited for-"

"Nonsense! If sleeping is the only problem you have, then I should easily be able to remedy it. What would make you more comfortable living with me?"

"If I could... sleep close to someone I know for a little while." 

"Well..." He closes his eyes, appearing deep in thought. "You could always stay in here."

"M-My king!"

"I insist, as your King, I say that you sleep in my room until you are comfortable!" 

And that was how you first ended up in King Sinbad's bed.


	5. Reunion

It had only been a year, but they had grown. 

"Mama!" Their cries are simultaneous as you appear in the doorway of the small home in Sindria, with King Sinbad following in tow. He smiles as he watched you blubber over the three children, hugging all three of them individually before pulling them into a tight group hug. "We've missed you!"

You listened to their silly stories, Aaliyah telling you of her new found love of poetry, while Ashour and Asad were both inspired to become soldiers to protect Sindria, the place that had given them new hope. With each word your heart soared; they many no longer be in your care, but you were glad you helped these little ones survive long enough to be able to fulfill their own dreams. It was only when it was time for you to leave that your heart dropped, a frown marring your features. 

"Don't be sad!" Ashour gives you a wide grin, patting your shoulder. "When we're all grown up, we'll come see you!"

"Yeah, and we'll take care of you when you're old and can't walk anymore!" Asad butts in, with Aaliyah nodding in agreement. 

"I'll look forward to it." You bite your lip to hold back the tears that threatened to fall if you said another word; but you did what you normally did, and sucked up the emotions that threatened to show and put a smile in their place. If this was the last they ever saw of you, you wanted them to remember your smile instead of your tears. Kissing each child on the head and giving them one last hug, and bidding farewell to their new parents. 

Sinbad notices the way you're trudging along the backstreets, looking crestfallen. 

"You did a good job raising those children, and in turn, they can further help Sindria flourish. It's a job well done." He places a hand on your shoulder, causing you to look up at him. "But now it's time for them to let them choose their own fates; they can't rely on you anymore. You have your own health to worry about."

"I... thank you, my King. Your words are comforting." 

"Then shall we head home?" He reaches out a hand for you to take; you stare at him curiously, unsure of exactly what he wants from you, but it had been that way from the beginning. It's when he reaches down and takes your hand on his own that the reality of the situation hits you; he was holding your hand! Wasn't this something emotionally intimate couples did? You and King Sinbad weren't even close to being a couple!

He squeezes your hand in encouragement, giving a slight tug to get you to begin to follow him. All you can think about was how comforting he had been to you since the very beginning, how warm his hand was when it clasped yours; his hands were much larger, and easily enveloped your hand in its warmth. 

Just as you had taken care of the children in rough times, King Sinbad was taking care of you.


	6. Napping

It was a beautiful afternoon where work was scarce, and it was the perfect day to slack off. 

Sinbad had dragged you off along with him on a walk, seeing as Ja'far had him on a strict no alcohol policy at the moment, and you were the only one that he was particularly close with that didn't drink. He had asked if you had some free time, and not wanting to lie to him, you told him you did. You had planned on taking a quick nap, but here you were instead, walking through the extensive, flourishing forests of Sindria with the King by your side, though you were still wondering about his intentions.

You could never think negatively of Sinbad, as he had shown you great kindness in the many months that you had lived within his palace. Remembering this fact made it even harder to quell your growing romantic feelings for him, trying to convince yourself that he was just a generous person who had probably shown great kindness to others in the same position as you. His generals were an example of this, though there were a few varying multiple differences in your story compared to theirs. 

They could fight for him, but you were only a maid. So why was it that he still kept you around?

"Here's the spot!" Sinbad drags you off the path, heading through a jumbled brush of trees before taking his place under the shade of a few of the taller trees. You sit beside your king, closing your eyes and allowing the atmosphere to whisk away your thoughts of self-doubt. For one precious moment you were out, alone, with your King, and you were going to indulge in the elated feelings it gave you. 

"Would you mind if I laid down to take a nap?" You shook your head, puzzled at first with his question. It was only when he laid his head down on your lap and closed his eyes that you grew flustered, cheeks stained pink. 

"My King!" He opens his eyes, amusement evident in his stare as he watches your reaction carefully. "Do you normally do this with your subordinates?"

You tried to keep your town light-hearted and playful, but found that it was tinged with annoyance. You didn't want to end up like the masses of women who Sinbad was 'interested in' before and you'd prefer not being anyone's playtoy. You didn't want to think he'd be using you in this way, but his actions were slowly becoming bolder and it left you with a lot of thoughts that would keep you up at night. 

"No..." He closes his eyes again as he feels you at ease, not believing that he'd lie to you. "You're something special to me."

Your face turns a dark shade of red, if that was even possible at this point, but before you could question him any further his light snores reached your ears. He was peacefully sleeping now, his mouth curled into a small smile while you glared down at him and pouted.

It looks like his true feelings for you would go unknown for another day.


	7. Moments (Part 1)

It was a variety of moments that really had your head spinning by the end of the week. 

On Monday, you were taking a midnight stroll through the palace, unable to rid yourself of your energy. While walking the halls, you happened to run into King Sinbad, who greeted you rather cheerfully before gaining a more serious look on his face. 

“I thought your sleeping problems had been solved?”The concern in his voice made your heart flutter nervously. 

“Oh, no, that’s not it! I just haven’t gone to bed quite yet.”You rubbed the back of your head sheepishly, feeling embarrassed that you had made him worry about your well being. He was a kind man, despite his faults. 

“I see. Well, if you’re still having sleeping problems, my bed is always open to you.”

“T-Thank you my king…” 

And that had only been the start of it. 

~*~

“Don’t allow him to have any alcohol, he’s on a roll and sooner or later he’ll learn to live without it.” You nodded as Ja’far addressed you, and asked you to inform all the maids of this. Sinbad was on alcohol abstinence and none of the maids were allowed to smuggle in any sort of booze for Sinbad unless they wanted to be severely punished by Ja’far. 

You personally didn’t want to see what the king’s adviser had in mind for those who disobeyed, so you kept your place. 

It was when you were walking through the palace and you saw King Sinbad with a container in his hands that you stopped in your tracks. Seeing that you spotted him, you hid the container behind his back. 

“My king, I know that you’ve had to abstain from alcohol recently…” You could practically see the sweat beads practically dripping down his face now. If this were to work, you’d have to have correctly interpreted Sinbad’s feelings for you… You hoped you were right. “And I’m very proud that you’ve managed to come so far! I know that sooner or later, you’ll overcome your need for it and it won’t be this difficult on you… Because if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to have this wonderful life that I do…”

You flashed him a bright smile, waving goodbye before disappearing into the bedchambers to continue your duties. You peeked out from behind the door, watching as Sinbad placed the alcohol of container down in defeat.

Perhaps your instinct was right…


	8. Moments (Part 2)

“It’s been a month without alcohol, which I think is means to celebrate!”

“Hopefully not with alcohol, my King.” You smiled as he let out a sigh of depression, his expression dropping from cheerful to melancholy. 

“I suppose it wouldn’t do any good to drop it now…”

“If you think of another way to celebrate, I might be able to help you.” 

He seemed to mull over the idea for a moment. 

“How about a kiss from a beautiful woman?” He offered, with a devilish grin. You crossed your arms, placing your finger to your chin as you thought of the various women in the castle that were available. Yamraiha was quite beautiful, but you didn’t think your King would want a scandal such as that breaking out over Sindria. There were plenty of beautiful maids, or perhaps he wished to go to that place where Sharrkan went after work? 

“I’ll work on it for you, my king!” With a determined look, you set off to look for a beautiful woman worthy of Sinbad, while he stared after you in disdain. 

It wasn’t until later that you thought he might have been implying that he’d like a kiss from you…

~*~

On Thursday night it had started out as a simple chat that transpired into something much more intimate. 

“Lately it seems my views on many things have changed…” 

“Such as what, my King?” You tilted your head to the side, turning to face your King in all his glory. The moonlight filtered in through the open windows, the moonlight highlighting the handsome portions of his face. 

“You must have realized of my… reluctance towards marriage.”

“Well, of course. I can’t imagine many would be too happy if they had to marry for alliance, and not love. B-but that’s also just me….” You flushed as you realized that what you had said was much more idealistic than realistic. 

As a King he had a duty to his country that not even love could get between. 

“I do have a great appreciation for beautiful women…” He began to laugh to himself, and you smiled weakly in response due to the jealousy that had begun to bubble up in the pit of your stomach. “But I’ve found the thought of settling down with one beautiful woman to be more appealing as the days pass. Of course, it’d have to be a certain kind of woman…”

“I’m sure you’ll find the right person and be married if that’s what you wish for.”

“Speak to me as another person, and not as your king.” You gulped as he faced you head on this time, drifting closer to you as the seconds ticked by. “What are your thoughts on marriage?”

“I-I…” Your face grew darker by the second, the stress on your head being too much to handle. “I-I well, I s-suppose marriage is what near every woman wants right?”

“You’re not like many women, my dear (Name).”You looked away from his gaze, staring at your feet as you tried to piece together your garbled words. 

“I would like to be married one day, and have children with my husband, whoever he may be.” But I wish it could be you.

Sinbad seemed pleased with your response, clapping his hands together and creating some distance between the two of you again. 

“That’s fantastic! It seems the two of us are on the same page.” He patted your shoulder, letting his hand slide down your arm before he pulled away. “Pleasant dreams, (Name), you’ve given me a lot to think about!” 

“G-goodnight, my king?” 

You were still beyond puzzled.


	9. Abrupt

The best moment in your life came very suddenly. 

"I never did get my kiss from a beautiful maiden..." Sinbad stated playfully, grinning as you became flustered. 

"I'm sorry, my King! I-I've been so busy since the Mahrajan that I-I-I..." Tears filled up your eyes as you looked up at your King; you felt as though you had disappointed him, and this made you feel beyond terrible. 

"N-No!" Sinbad places his hands on your shoulders, turning you to face him and successfully stopping your tears. "That's not what I meant! It's alright, (Name)."

"I feel... I feel that I haven't properly done as you requested." There was a glint in his eye that made you feel slightly uneasy. 

"I can think of ways to make you feel much better." 

The gap between the two of you was closed in an instant, and the kiss that you had dreamed about plenty of times had become a reality. It was only a simple, though long-lasting, peck that pulled you in and sent your heart beating faster than what was considered to be healthy. Your hands clenched the material of his outfit, closing your eyes to fully enjoy the feeling of Sinbad's lips on your own. 

He pulls away for a second, letting you see the content smile on his face, before you pull him back down for a much deeper one. This had been something you'd thought about for months; after you'd realized the deep love you had for your King that had been sprouting since the day you met him. You'd been driven crazy every day, unable to fully express or show him how strongly you felt, but with him in your grasp now, there was no way you'd let the opportunity to escape. Even if this all turned out to be meaningless in the end...

"Your lips are as soft as I imagined them to be." Sinbad pulled away, giving you the chance to breathe as he cups your face with his hands. He chuckles softly as you were suddenly unable to meet his gaze, feeling the confidence you'd just held draining now that the adrenaline was dispersing. His hands slide down from your face to your shoulders, before on your arms, his thumb rubbing circles on your exposed skin. 

"My King..."

"I've heard that you've been having nightmares again." Before you could disagree with his statement, he cuts you off. "You'll have to spend the night with me."

"...Yes, my King."


	10. The Red Rukh

"This is a catastrophe!" A frustrated Ja'far announces as he approaches you with an annoyed flush, two purple-haired children hanging from his arms as though they were hanging from a tree branch. You giggled into your hand as he shook them off, shooing them away to the next room over before returning to your side. "How are you feeling today, my Queen?"

"Exhausted." Your hand glides over your bulging stomach. "I'm glad that this child is due soon, this pregnancy is killing me." 

"Heh, I told Sinbad he'd enjoy having kids once he finally had them." Hinahoho joins you and Ja'far in the room, laughing merrily as your children zone in on him, choosing him as their new playtoy. He didn't seem to mind as much as Ja'far, after having children of his own and raising them alone. Your children were also much tinier than the Imchak children, thus much easier to handle. 

"Saadiya, Sadiq, come here now." Knowing better than to infuriate their temperamental mother, the children rush to your side, smiles on their faces. 

"Mama's gonna pop out a baby soon, Ja'far, so that means when mommy's tummy pops you gotta be there to sew her up!" He lets out a soft sigh, but a contented smile passed over his face and he nodded. 

"I won't leave your mother's side for a moment."

"Neither will I."

"Papa's home!" Saadiya and Sadiq rushed to meet their father at the door, jumping into his welcoming arms. Sinbad's eyes seemed to glow for a few seconds upon meeting the warmth of his children's greeting, holding them as he walks over to stand beside you. 

"And how is my Queen faring today?"

"She is faring quite fine." You try to stand, finding it difficult at first but with Sinbad's help, he pulls you to your feet. His hand clasped your own, bringing your hand to his lips and kissing them both. "How did negotiations go?"

"Alibaba is handling things sufficiently in Balbadd; the Kou Empire is at peace with Sindria for the time being..." The smile that crosses his face tells you the rest of the story; he was happy to be back home with his family. "I saw we celebrate! A party dedicated to my beautiful wife, and great children!"

"I get to drink the booze this time!" Saadiya shouts, pushing her brother out of the way as she starts to dash down to the kitchen to inform the maids of the last minute party Sinbad was deciding to throw. 

"No fair, I'm the older one, I should get to drink!" !” Sadiq followed after his sister, leaving an exasperated Ja’far to follow in their path to reassure that they didn’t destroy any important parts of the palace with their carelessness. Hinahoho bid the two of you farewell, leaving to gather his own children and the rest of the Generals for the celebration. This left you alone with your husband for the first time in nearly three months; it had been a busy year, after all. 

“Finally alone.” You muttered softly, a hand gently gliding down the skin of your stomach. “Aren’t you glad you finally decided to settle down and have kids?” Sinbad smiled slightly but didn’t reply, taking this chance to lead you to the window where there was a perfect view of the horizon. His arm wrapped around your shoulder, pulling you close and resting his chin on your head. 

“Do you ever wonder what drew us together in the first place?”

“What, haven’t you heard the story Aladdin taught our children?” After you received the curious look from him, you figured he hadn’t. “Last time Aladdin visited, he explained Rukh to them. He told them of the beautiful white Rukh, and the dark Rukh that inhabited those that had fallen. And then he mentioned the beautiful red Rukh, the embodied the feelings of hope, compassion, and love within them. They would surround all individuals of the world, but only the true love of the person could see that red Rukh, even if it wasn’t consciously. The two souls would be attached, attracted to each other’s complimentary Rukh without knowing what was happening… And then the two would meet, fall in love, and get married.” 

“Red Rukh, hm?” Sinbad seemed amused at the idea, closing his eyes and looking as though he were in deep thought. You knew that at the moment, he was truly at rest. When he was away, he would send letters and communicate in any way that he could to keep up your progress through your pregnancy, and to keep tabs on Ja’far’s sanity. You were sure Sinbad’s sanity suffered when he away from his family, but he had already managed to marry a woman who had been nothing but a street rat, the lowest notch on the totem pole of life, thus he didn’t want to push his boundaries and the Sindrian people any farther. 

“I’m happy that you saved me that day, my King.”

“I believe you’ve done me more good than I’ve done you, my Queen.” 

To think that a simple street rat could conquer the heart of the mighty King Sinbad… perhaps there were red Rukh at work.


End file.
